Whidbey woman experiences single payer health care, fast and free

On a recent trip to Scotland I had the misfortune to break a bone in my ankle. I went to the emergency room at the hospital in Inverness where they took my basic information. I spent about an hour in the waiting room and was then taken in to see a doctor, who then sent me down the hall for x-rays. Five minutes later the x-rays were developed and I was shown the results — a hairline fracture of a non-weight bearing bone. No cast needed, but I was fitted for a pair of crutches, told to ice it and keep it elevated as much as possible and see my own doctor when I got home.

As I was being wheeled out the door I asked how much I owed for the treatment and was told “nothing.” That’s what single payer health care is all about, even for non-citizens.